Window-shade-controlling device.



E. E HARRIS.

WINDOW SHADE CONTROLLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED man. 1915.

Patented May 2,1916.

w :12 Attorneys EDWARD E. rmnms, or wnruium, OKLAHOMA.

wI vnowsHAnE-coivrnonriive DE ICE.

' insists.

' One of the objects of the present inventionis to simplify the construction of the device and to provide means whereby the knot or enlargement on the controlling cord is prevented from riding up over the pulley on the pawl of the fixture, no matter how far the pawl may be mounted from the base of the fixture.

A further object isto provide means engagement with the pawl, the said pawl being so constructed as positively to prevent the cord from shifting off of the pulley carried thereby.

"With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown. a

In said drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a controlling device such as constitutes the present invention, the shade roller being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device showing one end portion of the shade roller. Fig. 3 1s a section on line AB Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the pawl. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a blank from which the bracket is formed.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a base or attaching plate from one'side of which extends a V Specification of Letters Patent.

Applicationfiled June 2, 1915. Serial No. 31,727.

Patented May 2, 1916.

side plate 2, the outer end of which is preferably formed with a laterally extending guard flange 3, while a stop lug4 is struck inwardly from the upper edge of the plate.

This plate has an opening 5 to receive a trunnion 6 extending from the reduced end 7 of a shade" rhller 8. An ear 9 is extended from the base or attaching plate 1 and is provided near its upper edge with a small opening 10 located directly opposite a like opening 11 in the plate 2. These openings 10 and 11 receive trunnions 12 extending from the angle portion of a pawl 13 shown in detail in Fig. 4. This pawl is provided with a ratchet engaging arm 14 and with depending spaced arms 15, said spaced arms having terminal eyes 16 constituting bearings for a pin 17 on which a grooved pulley 18 is journaled. A narrow slot 19 is provided between the arms 15 and this slot extends into the arm 14 of the pawland communicates with an opening or enlargement 20 formed in said arm 14.

The reduced portion 7 of the shade roller 8 has a ratchet wheel 21 securedthereto or formed therewith and the free end of arm 14 of pawl 13 normally engages one of the teeth of this ratchet, thus to hold the shade roller against rotation in one direction. A controlling cord 22 is secured at one end to the reduced portion 7 of the shade roller and is wrapped around said reduced portion and then passes under the arm 14 of the pawl and over pulley 18 and thence downwardly to a point Where it can be conveniently reached. That portion of the cord below the pulley is formed with a knot or enlargement 23. This enlargement is of such size as to be incapable of passing through the slot 19. It can, however, be passed through the enlarged opening 20.

In assembling the cord with the rest of the device, the said cord is wrapped about the reduced portion 7 of the shade roller and is then drawn upwardly through the enlarged opening 20 until the knot or enlargement 23 has passed through said opening 20, after which the cord is lowered between the pulley 18 and the base plate 1, thus bringing the cord within the slot 19 and positioning" the enlargement below the pulley 18, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

In rotating the roller 8 by means of the cord 22, for the purpose of winding a shade upon the roller, it is merely necessary to pull downwardly on the cord 22 so as thus to cause the pulley 18 to swing outwardly toward the roller 8 and lift the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 21. At the same time this pulling of the cord will cause the roller 8 to be rotated, thus winding the shade thereon. As soon as the cord 22 is released, the pawl 13 will drop into engagement with the ratchet 21 and thus hold the roller 8 against retrograde movement. Should it be desired to lower the shade, the cord 22 is pulled downwardly so as to lift the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet wheel. The cord is then paid out slowly, thus to permit the roller 8 to unwind the shade therefrom Without, however, allowing the .pawl to drop down into engagement with the ratchet wheel, the unwinding of the shade being due to its downward movement under the force of gravity.

Attention is called to the fact that both the bracket and the pawl can be formed of sheet metal. The blank from which the bracket is produced has been illustrated in Fig. 5 and the form of the blank from which the pawl is made will be readily apparent by referring to Fig. 4c. The entire fixture can be cheaply constructed and is a decided improvement over devices of this type heretofore produced in view of the fact that there is no danger of the cord 22 slipping out of position upon'the roller or pulley 18. Furthermore it is' not necessary to have the pulley at a predetermined distance from the base plate 1.

WVhat is claimed is The combination with a shade roller and a ratchet wheel revoluble therewith, of a bracket in which the roller is journaled, a pawl pivotally mounted in the bracket and having a ratchet engaging arm. arms depending from the pivotal portion of the ratchet and having terminal eyes, said arms being spaced by a relatively narrow slot extending into the ratchet engaging arm and in communication with an enlarged opening in said arm, a pulley interposed between and supported by the eyes and extending across the lower end of the slot between the arms, and a controlling cord secured to and adapted to be wound upon the roller, said cord being supported by the pulley and having an enlargement the diameter of which is greater than the width of the slot but less than the diameter of the opening in the pawl engaging arm.

Intestimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence'of two witnesses.

, @EDVVARD E. HARRIS. \Vitnesses: Q I if JAs. J. Hons row copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0." 

